Chapter 61: Jack Rust versus Dorman Whistles
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Chapter 61: Jack Rust versus Dorman Whistles
Jack stood on one edge of the sparring room. Dorman Whistles stood on the other, twirling twin daggers in his hands. Brock peeked from the entrance door and was ready to pull his head back in case of rampaging shockwaves, while the training robot stood calmly in a corner, medical kit in hand.
What say you we make a bet, Dorman? Jack asked.
Dorman frowned. A bet?
Yes. If I win, you join the Flame River alliance. If you win Well, what would you want?
Jack remembered that Dorman had remained neutral so far. However, the two alliances werent just about Flame River versus Ice Peak. They also concerned Jack versus the scions. He still wasnt sure how exactly theyd stop the encroaching behemoth called Animal Kingdom in a year, when their grace period was over, but being in the strongest alliance now seemed like their best bet.
Dorman considered it for a moment. Fine, he said. If I win, youll give me one hundred thousand credits.
It was a tremendous amount. Jack didnt even have that much.
Okay, he agreed. I dont have that much right now, but Ill give you what I have and owe the rest.
Okay.
Jack gulped. The bet was a nice idea; he just had to not lose. How difficult could it be?
He reached for his feet and grabbed a flip-flop. I apologize in advance, he said. I would have preferred to use a more elegant weapon, but alas, we do not choose the Dao; the Dao chooses us.
No problem. I also favor light weapons. It should be a good match, Dorman replied.
Jack felt proud. His disguise had worked!
Prepare yourself, Dorman said, then disappeared.
Jack barely caught a blur to his right before a dagger nicked his ribs, letting a thin line of blood drip down his waist.
Whats the matter? Dorman appeared a few steps before him. Cant you even handle that little bit of speed?
Jacks brows twitched. You little shit. He fell into a fighting stance. His eyes sharpened, his breath evened, and his chest inflated. His body was fire and his mind ice.
Dorman lunged again. This time, too, Jack barely caught a glimpse, but it was enough. He slapped his flip-flop in the air, barely missing Dorman, whod jumped back.
He returned from another direction. Jack was there again, slapping before he knew it. Thanks to the training robot, he knew how to handle extreme speed; his reflexes worked directly from his senses to his limbs, without any sort of thinking required in between. He could react faster like that; fast enough to catch dagger-wielding flies.
Dorman flitted in and out of reach, darting around the room like it was nothing. He moved at such speeds he befuddled the eye, but it wasnt just his speed itself, it was the ease with which he could completely change his momentum. One moment he was moving to the right at full speed, then he instantly turned to the left at the same speed, and that change was so fast that the eye carried on to the right for a fraction of a second, making him seem to disappear.
It wasn't a hard tactic to graspJack did the same thing on slower opponentsbut to do that on Jack of all people spoke of his abilities. He was even faster than the robot!
However, Jack wasnt a pushover, either. Though he hadnt met an opponent like this before, he adapted mid-fight. Against his instincts, he stopped focusing on Dormans body, widening his gaze so he could catch him even when he changed directions like that.
It worked.
A blur remained when Dorman tried to disappear. It flickered from side to side, getting behind Jack elusively fast, but he was there. He swung behind him, flip-flop slapping the air, but still received a shallow cut on his lower back.
Your bodys tough, Dorman said. Whats your Constitution?
99. Whats your Dexterity?
Its not that simple. All stats matterbut its almost two hundred! Dorman laughed, then charged again. He seemed even faster than before. Jack stuck his back against the wall, but it felt like fighting the wind. Wherever his flip-flop was, there was always a dagger slipping in from somewhere else. He didnt catch Dorman even once. Laughter surrounded him from all directions like a jolly butcher.
Dormans forte wasnt pure speed. It was a mix of skill, fine control, reaction speed, maneuverability, and then pure speed. Unfortunately, Jack didnt have time to care about the specifics.
In the blink of an eye, hed received more than a dozen shallow cuts. His regeneration could handle them, but they stang like motherfuckers. He clenched his fist.
Enough! he roared. Dorman appeared opposite him.
Enough? Do you resign already? he said with disappointment.
Jack laughed hoarsely. Can you keep a secret?
Dormans eyes narrowed. I can.
Good. Then, Ill fuck you up properly.
He let his flip-flop fall. Fighting spirit erupted out of him, along with an aura of suppression. His hair whipped in a non-existent wind as he clenched his fists.
He could barely use his Dao Root when wielding a flip-flop. It was like trying to fit a buckets worth of water through a straw. Most got stuck.
Now, his Dao was unleashed, and it was fucking pissed. Come at me! Jack roared, adopting a boxing stance.
Dorman obliged. He struck again, his daggers closing the gap in the blink of an eye, but Jack was there. A fist smashed into the air, and though it didnt hit Dorman, the air pressure itself was enough to make him wary. Another fist came immediately afterward, and Dorman had to jump away.
You were holding back! he exclaimed. The ends of his lips rose. Thats awesome!
Why didnt you use it earlier? You could have beaten me.
I couldnt. Dorman didnt explain, and Jack didnt push further, either. Everyone had their secrets.
Jack stumbled. He wasnt as physically worn as Dorman, but he was mentally exhausted. Plus, he was still bleeding. Hey, Sparman, he told the robot, can you bandage me?
That is not my name, Master.
Do you have one?
Yes.
It doesnt matter. Ill call you Sparman.
...As you wish.
It came closer, opening its medical kit for the first time and revealing rows of syringes, along with packs of bandages and other tools. It first stabbed a syringe filled with ice-blue liquid in Jacks abs, making him grimace, then expertly wrapped bandages around his largest wound, the one caused by Dormans twin lightning fang. The rest of the cuts would heal by themselves, so Jack just let them be. His regeneration was growing with his stats, and it was plenty useful by now.
He extended a hand to Dorman, who, smiling, grabbed it and used it to stand.
Did you know that the scions like to shout out the names of their attacks? Jack asked.
Really?
Yeah.
Wow. Thats so cringe.
Ugh, dont use that word out loud. Its so
Cringe?
Yeah, but dont use it.
Right then, Brock came running from the door and stopped in front of Jack, jumping excitedly on the spot and pointing at Jacks muscles.
Of course I am, Brock, he replied. Im your fathers bro, remember? Hes strong, so I have to be strong, too!
Brock protested.
Youre my little bro, Jack explained, since Im the bro of your father, who is your big bro.
Another protest, more intense.
Little in hierarchy, Brock. Your muscles are huuuge!
That seemed to do the trick, and Brock, satisfied, turned to Dorman. He looked at the teenagers lanky arms for a moment, then did a so-so sign with his hand. Both men burst into laughter, and Brock followed a moment later, not really understanding but wanting to fit in.
Thats a cute monkey, Dorman said. Where did you find it?
Im friends with his fathers pack. Brock here came along to experience the world and get strong.
Hmm He doesnt seem strong though
Brock reached behind his tail, armed, and threw a poop at Dorman, who dodged it hurriedly.
What the he said. Thats disgusting!
Jack laughed again, while Brock was waving a fist in the air and calling out Dorman in monkey talk.
By the way, Dorman said after a moment, I know I didnt lose, but Ill join your alliance anyway.
How so?
Youre there, and you seem like an okay person. The Ice Peaknot so much.
I see. That's great. Jack smiled, simultaneously narrowing his eyes at Dorman. Im not giving you the hundred thousand though. I need it for something.
Of course. Dorman laughed. Its okay. Money and equipment are inferior to skills, and you cant buy those.
Sure you can, Jack replied in puzzlement.
What do you mean? Dorman asked back, puzzled himself. Wait; were talking about the real skills, right? The Dao ones.
I was talking about all of them, actually. Why did you call Dao skills the real ones?
Because they are. Dont you know how skills work?
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Chapter 61: Jack Rust versus Dorman Whistles
Jack stood on one edge of the sparring room. Dorman Whistles stood on the other, twirling twin daggers in his hands. Brock peeked from the entrance door and was ready to pull his head back in case of rampaging shockwaves, while the training robot stood calmly in a corner, medical kit in hand.
What say you we make a bet, Dorman? Jack asked.
Dorman frowned. A bet?
Yes. If I win, you join the Flame River alliance. If you win Well, what would you want?
Jack remembered that Dorman had remained neutral so far. However, the two alliances werent just about Flame River versus Ice Peak. They also concerned Jack versus the scions. He still wasnt sure how exactly theyd stop the encroaching behemoth called Animal Kingdom in a year, when their grace period was over, but being in the strongest alliance now seemed like their best bet.
Dorman considered it for a moment. Fine, he said. If I win, youll give me one hundred thousand credits.
It was a tremendous amount. Jack didnt even have that much.
Okay, he agreed. I dont have that much right now, but Ill give you what I have and owe the rest.
Okay.
Jack gulped. The bet was a nice idea; he just had to not lose. How difficult could it be?
He reached for his feet and grabbed a flip-flop. I apologize in advance, he said. I would have preferred to use a more elegant weapon, but alas, we do not choose the Dao; the Dao chooses us.
No problem. I also favor light weapons. It should be a good match, Dorman replied.
Jack felt proud. His disguise had worked!
Prepare yourself, Dorman said, then disappeared.
Jack barely caught a blur to his right before a dagger nicked his ribs, letting a thin line of blood drip down his waist.
Whats the matter? Dorman appeared a few steps before him. Cant you even handle that little bit of speed?
Jacks brows twitched. You little shit. He fell into a fighting stance. His eyes sharpened, his breath evened, and his chest inflated. His body was fire and his mind ice.
Dorman lunged again. This time, too, Jack barely caught a glimpse, but it was enough. He slapped his flip-flop in the air, barely missing Dorman, whod jumped back.
He returned from another direction. Jack was there again, slapping before he knew it. Thanks to the training robot, he knew how to handle extreme speed; his reflexes worked directly from his senses to his limbs, without any sort of thinking required in between. He could react faster like that; fast enough to catch dagger-wielding flies.
Dorman flitted in and out of reach, darting around the room like it was nothing. He moved at such speeds he befuddled the eye, but it wasnt just his speed itself, it was the ease with which he could completely change his momentum. One moment he was moving to the right at full speed, then he instantly turned to the left at the same speed, and that change was so fast that the eye carried on to the right for a fraction of a second, making him seem to disappear.
It wasn't a hard tactic to graspJack did the same thing on slower opponentsbut to do that on Jack of all people spoke of his abilities. He was even faster than the robot!
However, Jack wasnt a pushover, either. Though he hadnt met an opponent like this before, he adapted mid-fight. Against his instincts, he stopped focusing on Dormans body, widening his gaze so he could catch him even when he changed directions like that.
It worked.
A blur remained when Dorman tried to disappear. It flickered from side to side, getting behind Jack elusively fast, but he was there. He swung behind him, flip-flop slapping the air, but still received a shallow cut on his lower back.
Your bodys tough, Dorman said. Whats your Constitution?
99. Whats your Dexterity?
Its not that simple. All stats matterbut its almost two hundred! Dorman laughed, then charged again. He seemed even faster than before. Jack stuck his back against the wall, but it felt like fighting the wind. Wherever his flip-flop was, there was always a dagger slipping in from somewhere else. He didnt catch Dorman even once. Laughter surrounded him from all directions like a jolly butcher.
Dormans forte wasnt pure speed. It was a mix of skill, fine control, reaction speed, maneuverability, and then pure speed. Unfortunately, Jack didnt have time to care about the specifics.
In the blink of an eye, hed received more than a dozen shallow cuts. His regeneration could handle them, but they stang like motherfuckers. He clenched his fist.
Enough! he roared. Dorman appeared opposite him.
Enough? Do you resign already? he said with disappointment.
Jack laughed hoarsely. Can you keep a secret?
Dormans eyes narrowed. I can.
Good. Then, Ill fuck you up properly.
He let his flip-flop fall. Fighting spirit erupted out of him, along with an aura of suppression. His hair whipped in a non-existent wind as he clenched his fists.
He could barely use his Dao Root when wielding a flip-flop. It was like trying to fit a buckets worth of water through a straw. Most got stuck.
Now, his Dao was unleashed, and it was fucking pissed. Come at me! Jack roared, adopting a boxing stance.
Dorman obliged. He struck again, his daggers closing the gap in the blink of an eye, but Jack was there. A fist smashed into the air, and though it didnt hit Dorman, the air pressure itself was enough to make him wary. Another fist came immediately afterward, and Dorman had to jump away.
You were holding back! he exclaimed. The ends of his lips rose. Thats awesome!
Why didnt you use it earlier? You could have beaten me.
I couldnt. Dorman didnt explain, and Jack didnt push further, either. Everyone had their secrets.
Jack stumbled. He wasnt as physically worn as Dorman, but he was mentally exhausted. Plus, he was still bleeding. Hey, Sparman, he told the robot, can you bandage me?
That is not my name, Master.
Do you have one?
Yes.
It doesnt matter. Ill call you Sparman.
...As you wish.
It came closer, opening its medical kit for the first time and revealing rows of syringes, along with packs of bandages and other tools. It first stabbed a syringe filled with ice-blue liquid in Jacks abs, making him grimace, then expertly wrapped bandages around his largest wound, the one caused by Dormans twin lightning fang. The rest of the cuts would heal by themselves, so Jack just let them be. His regeneration was growing with his stats, and it was plenty useful by now.
He extended a hand to Dorman, who, smiling, grabbed it and used it to stand.
Did you know that the scions like to shout out the names of their attacks? Jack asked.
Really?
Yeah.
Wow. Thats so cringe.
Ugh, dont use that word out loud. Its so
Cringe?
Yeah, but dont use it.
Right then, Brock came running from the door and stopped in front of Jack, jumping excitedly on the spot and pointing at Jacks muscles.
Of course I am, Brock, he replied. Im your fathers bro, remember? Hes strong, so I have to be strong, too!
Brock protested.
Youre my little bro, Jack explained, since Im the bro of your father, who is your big bro.
Another protest, more intense.
Little in hierarchy, Brock. Your muscles are huuuge!
That seemed to do the trick, and Brock, satisfied, turned to Dorman. He looked at the teenagers lanky arms for a moment, then did a so-so sign with his hand. Both men burst into laughter, and Brock followed a moment later, not really understanding but wanting to fit in.
Thats a cute monkey, Dorman said. Where did you find it?
Im friends with his fathers pack. Brock here came along to experience the world and get strong.
Hmm He doesnt seem strong though
Brock reached behind his tail, armed, and threw a poop at Dorman, who dodged it hurriedly.
What the he said. Thats disgusting!
Jack laughed again, while Brock was waving a fist in the air and calling out Dorman in monkey talk.
By the way, Dorman said after a moment, I know I didnt lose, but Ill join your alliance anyway.
How so?
Youre there, and you seem like an okay person. The Ice Peaknot so much.
I see. That's great. Jack smiled, simultaneously narrowing his eyes at Dorman. Im not giving you the hundred thousand though. I need it for something.
Of course. Dorman laughed. Its okay. Money and equipment are inferior to skills, and you cant buy those.
Sure you can, Jack replied in puzzlement.
What do you mean? Dorman asked back, puzzled himself. Wait; were talking about the real skills, right? The Dao ones.
I was talking about all of them, actually. Why did you call Dao skills the real ones?
Because they are. Dont you know how skills work?
Chapter 61: Jack Rust versus Dorman WhistlesJack stood on one edge of the sparring room. Dorman Whistles stood on the other, twirling twin daggers in his hands. Brock peeked from the entrance door and was ready to pull his head back in case of rampaging shockwaves, while the training robot stood calmly in a corner, medical kit in hand.What say you we make a bet, Dorman? Jack asked.Dorman frowned. A bet?Yes. If I win, you join the Flame River alliance. If you win Well, what would you want?Jack remembered that Dorman had remained neutral so far. However, the two alliances werent just about Flame River versus Ice Peak. They also concerned Jack versus the scions. He still wasnt sure how exactly theyd stop the encroaching behemoth called Animal Kingdom in a year, when their grace period was over, but being in the strongest alliance now seemed like their best bet.Dorman considered it for a moment. Fine, he said. If I win, youll give me one hundred thousand credits.It was a tremendous amount. Jack didnt even have that much.Okay, he agreed. I dont have that much right now, but Ill give you what I have and owe the rest.Okay.Jack gulped. The bet was a nice idea; he just had to not lose. How difficult could it be?He reached for his feet and grabbed a flip-flop. I apologize in advance, he said. I would have preferred to use a more elegant weapon, but alas, we do not choose the Dao; the Dao chooses us.No problem. I also favor light weapons. It should be a good match, Dorman replied.Jack felt proud. His disguise had worked!Prepare yourself, Dorman said, then disappeared.Jack barely caught a blur to his right before a dagger nicked his ribs, letting a thin line of blood drip down his waist.Whats the matter? Dorman appeared a few steps before him. Cant you even handle that little bit of speed?Jacks brows twitched. You little shit. He fell into a fighting stance. His eyes sharpened, his breath evened, and his chest inflated. His body was fire and his mind ice.Dorman lunged again. This time, too, Jack barely caught a glimpse, but it was enough. He slapped his flip-flop in the air, barely missing Dorman, whod jumped back.He returned from another direction. Jack was there again, slapping before he knew it. Thanks to the training robot, he knew how to handle extreme speed; his reflexes worked directly from his senses to his limbs, without any sort of thinking required in between. He could react faster like that; fast enough to catch dagger-wielding flies.Dorman flitted in and out of reach, darting around the room like it was nothing. He moved at such speeds he befuddled the eye, but it wasnt just his speed itself, it was the ease with which he could completely change his momentum. One moment he was moving to the right at full speed, then he instantly turned to the left at the same speed, and that change was so fast that the eye carried on to the right for a fraction of a second, making him seem to disappear.It wasn't a hard tactic to graspJack did the same thing on slower opponentsbut to do that on Jack of all people spoke of his abilities. He was even faster than the robot!However, Jack wasnt a pushover, either. Though he hadnt met an opponent like this before, he adapted mid-fight. Against his instincts, he stopped focusing on Dormans body, widening his gaze so he could catch him even when he changed directions like that.It worked.A blur remained when Dorman tried to disappear. It flickered from side to side, getting behind Jack elusively fast, but he was there. He swung behind him, flip-flop slapping the air, but still received a shallow cut on his lower back.Your bodys tough, Dorman said. Whats your Constitution?99. Whats your Dexterity?Its not that simple. All stats matterbut its almost two hundred! Dorman laughed, then charged again. He seemed even faster than before. Jack stuck his back against the wall, but it felt like fighting the wind. Wherever his flip-flop was, there was always a dagger slipping in from somewhere else. He didnt catch Dorman even once. Laughter surrounded him from all directions like a jolly butcher.Dormans forte wasnt pure speed. It was a mix of skill, fine control, reaction speed, maneuverability, and then pure speed. Unfortunately, Jack didnt have time to care about the specifics.In the blink of an eye, hed received more than a dozen shallow cuts. His regeneration could handle them, but they stang like motherfuckers. He clenched his fist.Enough! he roared. Dorman appeared opposite him.Enough? Do you resign already? he said with disappointment.Jack laughed hoarsely. Can you keep a secret?Dormans eyes narrowed. I can.Good. Then, Ill fuck you up properly.He let his flip-flop fall. Fighting spirit erupted out of him, along with an aura of suppression. His hair whipped in a non-existent wind as he clenched his fists.He could barely use his Dao Root when wielding a flip-flop. It was like trying to fit a buckets worth of water through a straw. Most got stuck.Now, his Dao was unleashed, and it was fucking pissed. Come at me! Jack roared, adopting a boxing stance.Dorman obliged. He struck again, his daggers closing the gap in the blink of an eye, but Jack was there. A fist smashed into the air, and though it didnt hit Dorman, the air pressure itself was enough to make him wary. Another fist came immediately afterward, and Dorman had to jump away.You were holding back! he exclaimed. The ends of his lips rose. Thats awesome!Why didnt you use it earlier? You could have beaten me.I couldnt. Dorman didnt explain, and Jack didnt push further, either. Everyone had their secrets.Jack stumbled. He wasnt as physically worn as Dorman, but he was mentally exhausted. Plus, he was still bleeding. Hey, Sparman, he told the robot, can you bandage me?That is not my name, Master.Do you have one?Yes.It doesnt matter. Ill call you Sparman....As you wish.It came closer, opening its medical kit for the first time and revealing rows of syringes, along with packs of bandages and other tools. It first stabbed a syringe filled with ice-blue liquid in Jacks abs, making him grimace, then expertly wrapped bandages around his largest wound, the one caused by Dormans twin lightning fang. The rest of the cuts would heal by themselves, so Jack just let them be. His regeneration was growing with his stats, and it was plenty useful by now.He extended a hand to Dorman, who, smiling, grabbed it and used it to stand.Did you know that the scions like to shout out the names of their attacks? Jack asked.Really?Yeah.Wow. Thats so cringe.Ugh, dont use that word out loud. Its soCringe?Yeah, but dont use it.Right then, Brock came running from the door and stopped in front of Jack, jumping excitedly on the spot and pointing at Jacks muscles.Of course I am, Brock, he replied. Im your fathers bro, remember? Hes strong, so I have to be strong, too!Brock protested.Youre my little bro, Jack explained, since Im the bro of your father, who is your big bro.Another protest, more intense.Little in hierarchy, Brock. Your muscles are huuuge!That seemed to do the trick, and Brock, satisfied, turned to Dorman. He looked at the teenagers lanky arms for a moment, then did a so-so sign with his hand. Both men burst into laughter, and Brock followed a moment later, not really understanding but wanting to fit in.Thats a cute monkey, Dorman said. Where did you find it?Im friends with his fathers pack. Brock here came along to experience the world and get strong.Hmm He doesnt seem strong thoughBrock reached behind his tail, armed, and threw a poop at Dorman, who dodged it hurriedly.What the he said. Thats disgusting!Jack laughed again, while Brock was waving a fist in the air and calling out Dorman in monkey talk.By the way, Dorman said after a moment, I know I didnt lose, but Ill join your alliance anyway.How so?Youre there, and you seem like an okay person. The Ice Peaknot so much.I see. That's great. Jack smiled, simultaneously narrowing his eyes at Dorman. Im not giving you the hundred thousand though. I need it for something.Of course. Dorman laughed. Its okay. Money and equipment are inferior to skills, and you cant buy those.Sure you can, Jack replied in puzzlement.What do you mean? Dorman asked back, puzzled himself. Wait; were talking about the real skills, right? The Dao ones.I was talking about all of them, actually. Why did you call Dao skills the real ones?Because they are. Dont you know how skills work?
